MANILA, Philippines — Two retired police colonels allegedly involved in the nationwide reward system of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs are no longer under the House Quad Committee’s custody.
Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, two resource persons at the House mega panel’s probe into the drug war’s extrajudicial killings, have already been released from detention.
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While unsure of the specific date, Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd District) said in a media interview on Friday, November 8, that the two were free of contempt citations before Congress resumed session on November 4.
“I think it was just before the resumption [of session]. Maybe a day or two before it resumed,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The two retired police colonels were previously cited for contempt after lawmakers deemed them to be lying or uncooperative in providing relevant information.
Barbers said the contempt order was lifted when most committee members believed they had become cooperative.
What now?
Garma and Leonardo were actually present at the Quad Comm’s hearing on Thursday, November 7.
However, Barbers said they were excused after the joint committee lacked time to interpellate them again about their participation in the drug war’s implementation.
“They promised that they will attend the next hearings when they are called,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
Barbers emphasized that the testimonies of Garma and Leonardo, along with any additional information they may have for the Quad Comm, remain important, despite not being questioned during Thursday’s hearing.
He added that, given the many resource persons invited by the mega panel, they could only cover so much of the war on drugs in a single hearing. The November 7 hearing ended at 1 a.m. the next day.
“Those who could not be questioned on that day were also excused so that their time waiting at the Quadcom would not be wasted,” Barbers said in Filipino.
No affidavit from Leonardo
While Garma had submitted two detailed affidavits to the joint committee, Barbers said that Leonardo had not yet provided one, even after saying he “believes” in the claims made by Garma.
It can be recalled that Garma told House lawmakers about the creation of the drug war’s nationwide reward system, describing how Duterte sought her help and how Leonardo led its operations in 2016.
RELATED: Royina Garma: Duterte sought my help for nationwide drug war reward system
Some of the allegations include a cash reward ranging from P20,000 to P1 million for each drug suspect killed, funding and reimbursements for drug operations that involved killing.
She also mentioned personal encounters she had with named leaders of the notorious “Davao Death Squad” and how she also received direct payments for drug suspects killed when she was assigned in Davao.
RELATED: 'Davao Model' exposed: Ex-PNP officer Leonardo validates drug war reward system
However, Barbers said that the Quad Comm will not pressure Leonardo to provide a sworn statement, noting that his testimony under oath may be all the committee could get out of him.
The House mega panel also invited Duterte twice to address the allegations made against him, but he refused to attend despite originally expressing his intention to appear at the hearings.